124 
allen’s naturalist’s library. 
B. Brit. Mus., viii., p. 331 (1883); Seeb., Hist. Brit. B , i., 
p. 518, pi. 18 (1883); Saunders, Man., p. m (1889); 
Lilford, Col. Fig. Brit. B., pt. xv. (1890). 
Adult. — Above delicate pearly-grey, browner on the crown, 
and gradually shading off into blackish on the upper tail- 
coverts and tail, the latter tipped with white spots ; the wing- 
coverts beautiful crimson, the bastard wing black, and the 
greater coverts black on the inner web, crimson on the outer 
one ; the innermost greater coverts grey, like the outer web of 
the adjoining inner secondaries ; primary coverts and primaries 
black, externally crimson for the greater part of the outer web ; 
sides of face and throat greyish-white, remainder of the under 
surface from the fore-neck downwards slaty grey, verging into 
black on the abdomen and under tail-coverts; under wing- 
coverts and axillaries dark crimson ; quills black below, with 
a white spot near the end of the second, third, fourth, and 
fifth primaries, and a second white spot near the base of the 
same quills ; bill and legs black ; iris brown. Total length, 
6-5 inches; culmen, i’i ; wing, 4-0; tail, 2'i ; tarsus, 0-95. 
Adult Female. — Similar to the male. Total length, 5-5 inches ; 
wing, 4-0. 
During the Nesting Season the birds assume a black throat and 
chest, which are not so distinctly marked in the female as in 
the male. 
Range in Great Britain. — A very rare and accidental visitor, 
of which two occurrences have been recorded; one as long ago 
as 1792, as we learn from a letter written by Robert Marsham 
to Gilbert White, of Selbourne, in which he states that a Wall- 
Creeper had been shot at his house at Stratton-Strawless, in 
Norfolk. Mr. F. S. Mitchell had also a specimen in his collec- 
tion which was shot at Sabden, in Lancashire, on the 8th of 
May, 1872. It was observed flying round a tall chimney, and 
attracted the attention of a number of mill-hands by its bright 
colour. It appeared to be a solitary bird and not to have a 
mate with it. 
Range outside the British Islands. — An inhabitant of the moun- 
tains of Southern Europe, extending into Central Asia as far 
east as China, and found in nearly all the mountain-chains 
